Dylan Rutledge has a magic word.
When things get tough on the mat and an exhausted Auburn senior wrestler feels like he doesn’t have enough gas in the tank to put away his opponent, one word goes through his mind.
Ashumblushumblaushum.
“I don’t know what it means, but it turns a switch, though,” teammate Nick Conlan said.
According to Rutledge, ashumblushumblaushum is something he’s used for focus since he first turned out for the Trojans’ wrestling squad as a freshman.
“I had a (visual communications) teacher, Mr. (Charles) Fitzgerald, who used to make up words,” he said. “When I first picked it up, me and Jake Swartz did it as a joke. But I’ve used it ever since. You have to have something to focus on during the match, during that third round when you want to get a takedown or you don’t want to take that shot.
“Everyone has something. My has been the word ashumblushumblaushum,” Rutledge said. “When you’re in a match and you have that word in your head, it gives you that drive.”
Of course, Rutledge’s 12 years of competitive drive, dedication and physical prowess also might have something to do with his success on the mat.
Rutledge has been on the mat since age 5, and has been excelling ever since.
In high school, he’s qualified for Mat Classic every season since his freshman year.
Although he didn’t place in 2008, he took third at 171 pounds as a sophomore and captured the state 4A title in the same weight last season as a junior.
This season, Rutledge is back to lay claim to more hardware.
“I’ve been wrestling 215,” he said. “I’m slated to wrestle 189 from here out, but now I just don’t know. It’s real iffy. I’m not positive what I’m going to do yet.”
So far this season, Rutledge has tore it up at the light heavyweight slot, notching a handful of big wins, including a second at the Tri-State tournament earlier this month at North Idaho College in Coeur d’Alene.
In that tourney, which features the best wrestlers from Idaho, Washington, Oregon and Montana, Rutledge swept through his first two rounds with technical falls before falling to Tanner Hall, a nationally top-ranked 215-pounder from Meridian, Idaho.
Rutledge now weighs 205 pounds, so he’s either going to have to give up a few pounds to opponents at 215, or make a big weight cut to wrestle 189.
Either way, Rutledge has his sights set on another title.
“In wrestling, you have to have a real short memory,” he said. “I can’t go in thinking about winning state last year. It’s awesome I won last year, but it’s a whole new weight class this year. I’ve got new guys to face. I’ve got to have a short memory. I can’t be thinking about winning last year. I’m just like every other kid working toward a title now.”
According to Conlan, a team co-captain along with Rutledge, his teammate is anything but another kid working toward a title.
“He’s just got this crazy grip you can’t break,” Conlan said. “Anything you do he’s got a counter for. It’s ridiculous, I’ve never faced anybody like him before. Whether he goes 189 or 215, I think he’s going to take it this year.”
Coupled with his mental toughness, Rutledge could be on track for another title.
“He’s probably the strongest high-schooler mentally I’ve come across,” Conlan said. “He’s got this pace that he can push that you can’t keep up with.”
For now, Rutledge is concentrating on the season and taking home another title.
In the spring, he’ll again turn out for the Auburn soccer squad where he’s been a forward since he was a freshman.
Then it’s decision time.
“I’m not positive about what I’m going to do next,” he said. “I definitely want to play a sport in college. I may go to a (Division II) school and play football. I may try and go to a D-I (school) for wrestling. I applied at Stanford University, so that would be my dream school.”
The Trojans hosted the South Puget Sound League All-Division Tournament on Wednesday and Thursday. Auburn will resume its dual schedule Jan. 5 at Tahoma.
